Liquid-dispensing apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. M. FOWLER. LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS.

No. 507,316. Patented ont. 2,4, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-'sheet 2.

W. M. FOWLER.

LIQUID DISPENSINGVAPPARATUS. NQ. 507,316. Patented Oct. 24, 1893..A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM MILES FOWLER, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.y 507,316, dated October24, 1893.

Application filed May 23, 1893.

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILES Fow- LER, of Milford, in the county ofNew Haven and State cf Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Liquid-Dispensing Apparatuses, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in liquid dispensing apparatusesin which provision is made for passing liquid from a general supply tothe glass or other receptacle from which it is to be used and measuringthe liquid during its passage from the supply to the receptacle todetermine the quantity which shall be dispensed.

My invention relates more particularly to the measuring receptacle andthe parts coacting immediately therewith whereby the liquid is passed toand from the measuring receptacle without the necessity of a vent andwithout any lost motion by the operating parts.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a View of the measuringreceptacle and parts immediately connected therewith, in side elevation,the inclosing casing being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view from front to rear through the measuring receptacle andthe parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation. Fig. 4is a view in vertical section, taken in the plane transverse to themeasuring receptacle and in the longitudinal plane of the axis of theoperating lever and turn-plug, and Figs. 5 and 6 represent respectivelyviews in detail of the turn-plug in side and end elevation.

In the form which I have chosen to illustrate my invention, the bodyportion A of the measuring receptacle is formed ot transparent material,such for example as glass, and is of cylindrical tubular form, its endsbeing inserted and secured in suitable sockets h and b formed in frontand rear end castings B and B respectively. The front casting B isprovided with a Iiange h2 extending laterally therefromthrough which theeasting at the front end is secured to the casting at the rear end bybolts or tie-rods C extending through the flange b2 and throughcorrespon d- Serial No.475,206. (No model.)

o n a u il' Ing lugs 5 proJectIng from the rear end casting B. The saidflange b2 also serves as a convenient means for securing the measuringreceptacle and its operating mechanism toV fixed brackets c and c at thetop and bottom. A tube D projecting rearwardly from the upper portion ofthe front casting serves to receive the end of a rubber hose or othersuitable supply pipe or tube leading from a general source of supplyunder pressure or head and not shown herein. From the tube a passagewayd, forming a continuation of the interior of the tube D, extends throughthe front casting to a tapered turn-plug chamber E and thence by branchpassages or ports d and d2 to passageways leading to the front and rearof the measuring receptacle A respectively. The port d leads to atubular chamber F here shown as in axial alignment with the measuringreceptacle A having seated within it an exteriorly screw-threadedtubular plug f, having a screw-threaded engagement with a portion f ofthe interior wall of the chamber F for the purpose of adjusting the plugf so that it shall extend more or less within the receptacle A, as maybe desired. The interior end of the plug f is beveled to an edge f2-forapurpose which will hereinafter appear. The outer end of the plug f isprovided with a notch f3 for convenience in introducing a screw-driveror other suitable implement for turning the plug f. Theouter or frontend of the tubular chamber F is provided with a screw cap f4 and withsuitable packing forkformiug an air and liquid tight closure for the endof the chamber. The port d2 connects with a pipe section G, here shownas of transparent material such as glass, which extends to a socket gformed in the front face of the rear casting B and the passagewaythrough the tube G is continued by the passageway g in the casting Binto the end of the receptacle A preferably at its middle portion, andwhere the passageway g enters the receptacle A, it is surrounded by awall reduced to an edge g2 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.From the taper turn-plug chamber E a port leads to a passageway e whichcommunicates with a discharge spout c.

Within the measuring receptacle A there is located a piston free to moveback and forth within the chamber according as there is excessivepressure upon one side or the other of it. In the present instance thepiston consists of two disks Il, H connected by a stem h to the oppositeends of which the disks are secured by means of screws h', h2. The samescrews which connect the disks with the ends of the stem also secureelastic washers h3, h4 with the outer faces of the disks. The elasticwashers h3 and h4 serve in connection with the edges]C2 and g2, whichdetermine the limits of the movement of the piston back and forth, toform a quick and perfect cut-off for the liquid escaping through theplugf or through the passageway g', as may be.

g Within the taper chamberE the turnplug I is fitted, having uponopposite sides the ports t' and t" which are so located that when theplug is turned in one position, thatshown in Fig. 2, the port i willform a connection be tween the passageway cl and port d leading to theinterior of the receptacle A at its front end, while the port t" will atthe same time form a connection between the passageway (Z2 and thepassageway e leading to the discharge spout, and hence open thecommunication through the passageway g at the rear end of the receptacleand tube G to permit the liquid to be discharged from the rear end ofthe receptacle into the discharge spout. V'Vhen the said turn-plug I isgiven a quarter turn, it will bring the port il into position to connectthe port d with the passageway e and hence to the discharge spout and atthe same time will throw the port e" into position to connect the inletpassage d with the port (Z2, tube G, passageway g' and hence with theinterior of the receptacle through its rear end. A second quarter turnwill bring the turn-plug into position with its ports and t" in theposition just the reverse from that shown in Fig. 2, and hence with thesame effect in making connections of the passageways as that shown inFig. 2; while the third quarter turn will connect the rear end of thereceptacle with the supply reservoir and the front end with thedischarge spout and the fourth quarter turn will bring the parts againinto the position which they are shown as occupyin g in Fig. 2. Toeffect the quarter turns of the turn-plug hereinabove referred to, theturn-plug is provided with a toothed `rim i2 the teeth of which areclearly shown in Fig. G and located onequarter of the periphery apart.Through the turn-plug I and through the casting adjacent thereto at thefront end of the receptacle, extends a shaft K which, after passingthrough one or several of the measures herein described and arranged inseries, passes on to a registering and recording mechanism, such forexample as that shown, described and claimed in Letters Patent No.490,823, granted to me January 3l, 1893. The shaft K of my presentapplication corresponds to the shaft lettered D in said patenthereinabove referred to. As such reg istering and recording mechanismforms n0 part of my present invention, I have omitted the illustrationand description of the same in connection-herewith. One end of theturn-plug I is provided with a screwthreaded extension i3 for thereception of a nut 7c to hold the plug in its seat and the opposite endof said turn-plug is provided with a projecting cylindrical portion 4 onwhich the hub lof the operating lever L is loosely mounted. Theoperating lever is provided upon opposite sides of its central plane ofmotion with sockets Z and l2, in the former of which a spring actuateddog M is located in position to engage the teeth on the rim t2 of theturn-plug and in the latter of which a spring actuated dog M is locatedin position to engage a toothed wheel N, fixed to rotate with the shaftK. The engagement of the dog M with the toothed wheel N and hence thedistance which it is permitted to rotate the shaft K for every downwardstroke of the lever L, is regulated by means of a disk n mounted to turnon the hub of the wheel N between the face of the dog M and the hub ofthe wheel N, a portion n of said disk (see Fig. l) being at such aradial distance from the center as to hold the dog entirely out ofengagement with the toothed Wheel. Another portion 'n2 of the peripheryof said disk is of a less radial distance from the center so that whenit comes between the dog and the hub of the wheel N, the dog will be`permitted to engage the teeth on the wheel N and hence will rotate theshaft K. The disk n is provided with several notches n3 ou one side,with any one ot' which astop O may be engaged to hold the disk n in suchrotary adj ustment on the hub of the wheel N as to permit the dog M toengage the teeth on the wheel N at an earlier or later point during itsdownward stroke as the case may be. This arrangement for determining thedistance which the shaft K,which runs a recorder and register, shall belturned to register different prices, is quite similar in its generalprinciple to that shown, described and claimed in my Letters Patentabove referred to, such differenees as 'exist between the two beinglimited for the most part to the structure. The operating lever Lcarries on it a segment Z3 having a beveled nose Z4 for engaging alongitudinally sliding locking bar IJ to prevent the movement of acompanion lever while the lever just operated is down, in a manner quitesimilar in principle to that shown and 4described in said Letters Patentabove referred to. The mechanism, with the exception of the operatinghandle on the lever L and the projecting spout, may be housed by thecasing Q; access to the interior of which may be had only by a personholding a key to unlock it, the lock and the means for opening thecasing being of any well known or suitable construction.

In operation, suppose the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1and 2, the liquid from the general supply under head of press- IIO ure,will have fiowed into the receptacle A,

forcing the piston therein toward the rear end of the receptacle. Ifnow, it be desired to dispense a quantity of liquid equal to thecontents of the receptacle A between the piston and the end of the plugf, the operating lever L may be drawn down to the limit of its downwardstroke. This will turn the plug I onequarter of a revolution and willthereby open the rear end of the receptacle A to the general supply andat the same time will open the front end of the receptacle A to thedischarge in the mannerhereinabove particularly set forth and the pistonwill be forced forward, driving the contents of the receptacle outthrough the discharge spout until the piston reaches the end of ltheplug f against which it will seat, its elastic washer h3 forming withthe edge at the end of the plug a prompt and perfect cut-off. The returnof the lever to its upper position, shown in Fig. l, will have no effect.upon either the turn-plug or the recording mechanism. If now, it bedesired to dispense another measure of liquid, the operating lever maybe again brought to the limit of its down stroke which movement willturn the plug I another quarter revolution, opening the front of thereceptacle A to the general supply and at the same time opening the rearend of the receptacle to the discharge spout and the piston will beforced rearwardly into contact with the edge gf2 surrounding the end ofthe passageway g. In the above manner, the piston may be forced back andforth within the receptacle A, each time filling a measure anddischarging a measure withouta ventbeing established and without thelost motion commonly required. The quantity may be regulated with thegreatest precision by the adjustment of the plug finto or out of thereoeptacle A while the flow of the liquid Within the receptacle A andthrough the pipe G may be readily observed from the outside.

What I claim is- 1. In combination, a measuring receptacle, a pistonfree to move back and forth thereln under the pressure of inflowingliquid, means for admitting liquid to and discharging .it from thereceptacle, and a stop for the piston, the stop having an adjustmentinto and out of the receptacle to diminish or increase the movement ofthe piston, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the measuring receptacle, its piston and theconduits for admitting liquid to and dischargingy it from thereceptacle, of the rotary cock, the shaft leading to a recorder, thetoothed wheel keyed to the shaft, the notched eccentric disk mounted torotate independently of the toothed wheel and shaft, the stop forholding the disk in the desired adjustment, the operating lever and thedogs carried by the lever in position to engage the cock, toothed Wheeland disk, substantially as set forth.

3. The measuring receptacle, comprising the tubular body portion and theends tted thereto, and having passageways leading through the ends fromthe interior of the receptacle, to points atone side of the body p01tion a tube connecting the passageway at one end with the passagewayatthe opposite end, a supply conduit common to the two end passageways, adischarge conduit common to the two end passageways and a cock seated inone of the ends for opening and closing the passageways, substantiallyas set forth.

WILLIAM MILES FOWLER.

Witnesses: y A

FREDK. HAYNES, J. BOGERT DECKER.

